


A Little Longer

by safebannie



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, Hatake Kakashi is a Good Teacher, Kinda, One Shot, Uchiha Sasuke Being an Asshole, kakanaru if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24510667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/safebannie/pseuds/safebannie
Summary: “How come you use the Goukakyuu no Jutsu so much? Isn’t that like, really offensive to whoever you’re fighting? I mean I get it Sasuke, your clan made and loved that thing but why do you use it? It’s not exactly the most efficient way to take someone down.”
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 6
Kudos: 85





	A Little Longer

Naruto really didn’t want to upset Sasuke or anything but he really, really,  _ really _ wondered why he uses Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu so much. So one day, after a sparring session with Team 7, he asked why because a little curiosity didn’t hurt anyone, right?

He hoped Sasuke didn’t get upset over it because he didn’t want to deal with his superiority complex and Sakura and Kakashi turning against him.

Naruto sat a good five feet away from Sasuke just in case. “Um, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke? Can I ask you a question?”

Kakashi just gave him an eye-smile and turned his book down just a tiny bit while Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

He smiled a little sheepishly. “Uhh… so here’s how it is, but please don’t get upset, Sasuke, cos’ I’m really not trying to do that.” He flailed his arms for a moment before tilting his head towards the two who looked confused, or like a rock in Sasuke’s case. He inwardly snickered.

“How come you use the Goukakyuu no Jutsu so much? Isn’t that like, really offensive to whoever you’re fighting? I mean I get it Sasuke, your clan made and loved that thing but why do you use it? It’s not exactly the most efficient way to take someone down.”

Kakashi put his book down, surprisingly enough. “Well why wouldn’t he, Naruto? And what do you mean by offensive?” The Uchiha just crossed his arms and shot him a questioning glare, not really sure what his idiot teammate meant.

Naruto racked his head for a moment, trying to find the right words. “Because, well, do you really expect a shinobi to just stand there and get barbecued? It kinda seems like you’re making fun of their speed and uh–– would you stop looking at me like that?” he nervously rubbed the back of his head.

There was a slight silence before Sasuke sputtered a little, losing some of his composure and awkwardly trying to regain some of his lost pride that nobody knew he lost because, well, it was kinda true. Goukakyuu no Jutsu was a massive ball of fire that, at most, would make a hole in the ground and burn a couple things around it but against a trained shinobi, it was basically nothing unless they were trapped or it was used as a diversion. But Sasuke used it as his signature jutsu, and it didn’t really… accomplish anything save for maybe draining a third of his chakra reserves and charring some foliage.

Kakashi hid an amused laugh with a cough and gave another one of those upside down U smiles. “Well, I guess it really doesn’t do anything, unless someone finds a way to make it––” Sasuke cut him off with a scoff.

“It doesn’t matter, usuratonkachi. It was made by the Uchiha clan, and therefore it is superior to many other Katon jutsus. You wouldn’t understand, anyway, you’re too stupid to even hope to learn––” His sneering too, was interrupted.

Naruto stared awkwardly at the angrily ranting Sasuke who looked kinda scary, with all the clenched fists and slightly pink face and black eyes that shot imaginary daggers through him. Naruto winced. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked? Oh no, now Sakura-chan is mad too.

“Now, now, children, settle down.” he said to Sasuke and Sakura who was now belittling Naruto and was just about to hit him across the head again for some reason (why was she even mad? She can’t even do any jutsu?).

“Sasuke, Naruto already said that he didn’t want to offend you, so it would be an overreaction if you did, especially since it was only an innocent question, and some of those things you said were uncalled for. Sakura, I don’t believe that it’s your place to lecture Naruto about being insensitive and about jutsu since I know for a fact that you can’t do any except for the academy three and that you only know about the Uchiha clan through the books and your previous teachers.” He paused, waiting for another outburst, but it didn’t happen. “And Naruto, that’s actually a good question. Even I’ve never really thought about it before.” Naruto beamed and blushed under the rare positive attention while the other boy scowled deeply.

“So Sasuke, why don’t you indulge us with an answer?” All eyes turned to the boy in blue. The blond haired boy seemed especially interested in the answer and Sasuke only thought this was his plan all along, to try and embarrass him and get a one-up on him. Not gonna happen, he thought viciously. 

“It’s none of your business.” he spat. “You and your dumb questions are a waste of time. I’m going back to training.” He got up, patted imaginary dust off his person and stalked to a clear patch of grass to start on his katas. Sakura, the ever-committed fangirl, bounded right behind him, but not before shooting a haughty look at the blond and, “Sasuke-kun is right! Not everyone has the time for your stupid questions.”

Naruto was quiet, fiddling sadly with his fingers.

“Naruto…”

His head shot up, covering up the troubled expression on his face. “Kakashi-sensei… I really only was curious…” he whispered guiltily, thinking he was in trouble for making his teammates angry. 

Kakashi sighed, plopped down and ruffled Naruto’s hair. “I know, you’re not in trouble, Naruto.” he said as gently as he could. “Sasuke’s only mad because he doesn’t have an answer to your question. But between you and me, I think he’s only being immature.” he winked. His cheer seemed to lift his blond student’s spirits and he counted that as a small success since the blond smiled and snickered good-naturedly. Sasuke, immature? He guessed things like that really could happen.

“Do you know why, Kakashi-sensei?” he finally asked. “Why Sasuke uses that jutsu so much even though it’s only a waste of chakra and doesn’t really do anything?” the Copy-nin ruffled the boy’s hair again and chuckled at the blunt wording. He could tell Naruto was genuinely baffled. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the answer to his question, but he could make a few guesses, if only not to disappoint his smallest student. It wasn’t often that Naruto asked for anything at all so the least he could do was try to answer this.

“Hmm, there aren’t many reasons why he would do that, but I can maybe guess a few.” He’s aware that he hasn’t been a very good teacher to Naruto, but that fact seemed painfully obvious when his student looked up at him with an eager but dubious look, as if waiting for him to say, ‘nope, I’m not actually answering you. Go work on chakra control.’

“Well one reason would be because he, like me, hasn't actually thought about what damage the technique––or rather, the lack of damage it would do. It could be that he doesn’t really know how to utilize it properly, or maybe he just thinks it looks cool.” he grins under his mask, but he’s sure he gets the point across and gets another win, in the form of a loose laugh. Little chibi Kakashis are celebrating in his head for getting another one. “Or maybe…”

Naruto can’t really believe that his sensei actually cares enough to answer his question but he’s sure that it probably won't happen again, or at least a long time will pass before it happens again so he makes sure to listen extra attentively, little chuckles slipping out at imagining Sasuke being flustered and emotional about his family’s techniques. He secretly hoped his Sensei would talk a little longer.

When Kakashi is done talking Naruto is pretty light inside, and while he didn’t really get a straight answer, he got to talk a lot to his sensei, who is actually pretty cool and good at cheering people up.

Kakashi inwardly smiles at the elation on Naruto’s face and ruffles his hair one more time before pulling the boy up and going to set up more exercises for his team.

“Sensei?” 

Kakashi looks back with an eyebrow raised. “Naruto?”

The boy gave him a soft smile, not like his blinding sunny grins or the forced crooked upturns of the lips (those are the ones he hates most), it was tiny, but it was happy.

“Thanks.”

Kakashi slung an arm around the boy’ shoulders and smiled down at him. “Of course.”

It wouldn’t hurt to spend more time with him, and it definitely wouldn’t hurt to teach him a bit outside of training. He’d make sure every question was answered, and he'd keep that smile up on the boy’s face for as long as he could.

Naruto thought that he should ask questions more often, if only to talk to his sensei just that little bit longer.

**Author's Note:**

> if you didn't already know, goukakyuu no jutsu is the great fireball technique :)


End file.
